[GameSpot] - Halo Infinite Beta: The Bones Are Good

[343iBot]

Halo Infinite's first multiplayer beta, which used bots, was an important first step, but this past weekend's full-blown test of 4v4 Arena Slayer with actual PvP combat was the game's first true test--and it passed with flying colors. After playing in nearly every session this weekend, I found Halo Infinite to be the return to form that I had been hoping to see after I was left disappointed by Halo 5 (and Halo 4, for that matter). That being said, I still have some concerns and reservations about the offering ahead of its launch in December.

The Bones Are Good

Halo Infinite's multiplayer is in very good shape, with all of the important bases covered. After adopting the series from Bungie, 343 had the very difficult task of taking ownership of what is known as one of the best FPS experiences ever (on console, at least) and not only keeping that intact, but pushing the formula forward. 343 has succeeded, for the most part, in this respect with Halo Infinite.

The gunplay has that classic, Halo 3-like "weight," and it just simply feels good to snap off some precise rounds with the new Battle Rifle or to control the spray of the AR as you face an oncoming enemy. The Halo "combat dance" is intact in Halo Infinite's multiplayer, to be sure. The time-to-kill is long enough that you have a second chance to survive a firefight even if you get into it at a disadvantage (and this is aided even more so by new abilities like the Grappleshot, which I'll get to later). Halo has always been an FPS that emphasizes skill and strategy, and this ethos is brought forward in Halo Infinite, for sure.

Halo Infinite multiplayer definitely feels like classic-era Halo, and the beta appears to represent the game in a very finished, polished state, though I am sure some changes will be made ahead of launch (and beyond launch, too, as this is very much a live-service game).

Another central element of any Halo game is the weaponry, and Halo Infinite ups the ante in this department. The Assault Rifle and the Battle Rifle return, of course, and these staples of the Halo series are as good as they've ever been. The Sniper Rifle, too, is a deadly, powerful weapon that in the right hands can turn the tide of a match. The Needler returns as well, and it seems more consistent and powerful this time around--but also balanced. You need only get out of the line of sight and you'll survive an encounter, but anyone caught in the open is a goner.

In terms of new weaponry, the MK50 Sidekick pistol is a dependable sidearm that can save your life in a pinch with a well-placed headshot. I found it to be one of the more challenging weapons to aim consistently and control, but not in a way that felt bad or unfair. The new Bulldog shotgun packs a punch, and is a solid replacement for the old shotgun. It doesn't feel as powerful as previous iterations of the weapon, but I enjoyed that--it's a close-quarters weapon, after all. Of all the new weapons, my favorite from the beta is the Skewer. An extremely powerful weapon, the Skewer fires a heavy, fast projectile that can take out a player in one shot and knock down vehicles, too. It commands precision and timing, though, so it doesn't feel overpowered.

In addition to the guns, Halo Infinite's beta showed off the game's impressive new maps. Bazaar, Behemoth, Live Fire, and Recharge were featured in the beta, with Fragmentation scheduled for its public debut in the Big Team Battle this coming weekend. I wasn't impressed by Halo 5's maps, for the most part, but the Halo Infinite maps so far are all excellent. Each are designed to suit different playstyles and techniques, and they contain routes and pathways that are fun to explore and uncover the fastest/best/stealthiest ways to get around.

Bazaar was my favorite of the group during the beta test. I enjoyed its open air setup and its various lanes and choke points, along with the central section where clashes would inevitably unfold. It has long lines of sight for when you have a scoped weapon, tight corridors for getting up close and personal, and sneaky pathways in order toget the drop on unsuspecting enemies. Behemoth was a close second for me. My assumption was that this map, which features vehicles, would be too big to sustain a 4v4 match, but its various gravlifts and cannons help you get around quickly.

Halo Infinite's Bazaar map

Another quick observation I had from the beta was that the lack of teammate player collision is not really a big deal. It was definitely fun in older titles to be able to hop on someone's head and jump to a higher surface, but that was only a silly distraction. For the most part, I found Halo's teammate collision physics to be frustrating and annoying, as a teammate could knock you out of cover, intentionally or otherwise. In Halo Infinite, that's not possible, and I think the game may be better off for it overall. I also found that strafing is not only easier to perform but also more effective in Halo Infinite compared to past games. In older Halo games, I would struggle to effectively strafe to avoid oncoming fire, but I found the system easier and more responsive in Halo Infinite--and my enemies did, too, it seems, which balanced it out.

The Grappleshot Is A Game-Changer

Perhaps the biggest advancement to the Halo formula for Infinite (at least that we know about so far) is the Grappleshot, which can be used for a variety of purposes. You can zip around the map, Titanfall-style; you can harpoon enemies with it and smack them with a melee to get a kill. You can even use the Grappleshot to grab the flag in Capture the Flag and catapult it back to your base. This is the most significant new piece of equipment in the Halo arsenal maybe ever, and I can only imagine the expert-level gameplay we'll see over time as people become even more familiar with it. The Halo Infinite maps in the beta are designed with the Grappleshot in mind, it seems, as there are many platforms and structures that can be grappled onto to help you get the edge over opponents in any number of ways. The Grappleshot doesn't appear to be overpowered, either, as it has a limited number of uses, and it's not a default starter item anyway, so the maps aren't overrun with people soaring across the map at the same time.

Outside of the Grappleshot, I very much enjoyed using the Repulsor equipment, which emits a charge of energy that you can use to knock back oncoming projectiles or even to whack an oncoming Warthog off the map if used properly. It's another example, along with the Grappleshot, of giving players more tools to stay alive and mix things up in unexpected ways. The new dropshield was another standout for me. It provides effective cover for oncoming fire from one direction, and placed in the right spots it can be extremely useful to defend a location. Unlike the bubble shield from Halo 3--which placed a protective bubble in a circle for anyone standing inside it, the drop shield is not as durable or as all-encompassing. The drop shield only lays down cover on one side, and it can be destroyed piece-by-piece, which adds another element of strategy.

Questions Remain

For as much as I enjoyed the Halo Infinite beta, I left the weekend with a few questions and reservations about the future. For one, the fact that all progression is tied to advancing through the battle pass is unexpected and leaves me scratching my head. I understand the motivation to push people to complete challenges to rank up the battle pass, but I would like to see a per-match XP system that is separate from Battle Pass ranking. (For what it's worth, 343 has said it is considering a secondary XP progression system but it won't be available at launch). As a free-to-play game, as least for multiplayer, it is essential for the developers to design the game in such a way so people keep coming back--and spending money on its various cosmetic microtransactions--but I'd like to see a per-match XP system or something else that helps me to feel a sense of progression or ranking outside of the battle pass.

Halo Infinite is definitely true to the origins of the series and it doesn't take any gigantic risks or leaps. It is simply a very solid game with good bones and a solid foundation to build upon. It lives up to the hype, at least in this beta stage. But I am wondering: Will that be enough? Thankfully as a free-to-play game, the moment you stop having fun, you can leave. But I'm hoping 343 has a plan to keep things fresh with new maps, modes, and features over time.

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